ABOUT ME
Meet Coralie Piat
I’m Coralie Piat, an Art Therapist working with children, adolescents, and adults. I
believe art can express what words often cannot, offering a safe space for healing,
reflection, and growth.
Based in Tamarin, Mauritius, and online internationally, my sessions are client-
centred, trauma-informed, and open to everyone. I blend art with mindfulness,
somatic work, and narrative approaches, adapting each session to the person in
front of me.
I aim to create a warm, understanding space where you feel seen, supported, and
empowered to connect with yourself and your story.
Art therapy is a warm, inviting space where creativity becomes a quiet language of
its own. Colours and shapes can hold feelings that are difficult to express in words.
Rooted in respect and curiosity, it welcomes anyone seeking a safe moment to
breathe, explore.
At the heart of this practice lies a simple belief: every person carries an inner world
worth listening to. Images often express what words cannot.
How Did Art Therapy Originate?
Art therapy developed from the realisation that people express their inner world more
freely through images than through spoken language. Early 20th-century artists, psychiatrists, and teachers noticed that a child struggling to explain a feeling could show it through a few strokes of colour.
Two pioneers helped shape the field into what we recognise today. Margaret Naumburg, often called the “mother of art therapy,” saw art as a kind of visual language, a bridge to the unconscious. She wrote, “the symbolic expression of the unconscious becomes visible in spontaneous art” (Naumburg, 1966). She believed that when people created freely, without pressure or judgment, their artwork revealed
meanings they might not yet have words for.
Edith Kramer, another major influence, focused on the healing strength of the creative process itself. She described the therapist’s role as a gentle “third hand,”
supporting rather than controlling the client’s expression (Kramer, 1971). As the field matured, art therapists drew from psychoanalysis, humanistic psychology, child development, attachment theory, and contemporary art practice. By the 1970s and 1980s, art therapy had become an established profession with clear training paths and ethical standards. Today, it is practised in hospitals, schools, community centres
and private studios across the world.
At its core, the idea remains simple: art creates a safe space where a person and their artwork stand together, almost like two companions. As art therapist Schaverien
noted, the image can become a “third presence” in the room, helping transform inner experience into something visible and shareable (Schaverien, 1999).
What Is Art Therapy?
Art therapy is a therapeutic space where visual materials open pathways into feelings, thoughts, memories, and relationships. It is not about artistic talent but about using creativity for expression, symbolism, and meaningful exploration.
Through the simple act of making, drawing, painting, sculpting, or collaging, people often discover new ways of expressing themselves. As Malchiodi states, “the creative process itself can be a catalyst for insight and emotional change” (Malchiodi, 2012).
Art therapy can support a wide range of needs, including anxiety, depression, stress,
trauma, and grief.
An art therapist is a trained mental health professional who brings together psychological knowledge and creative processes. Sessions may be individual or group based.
You do not need to know how to draw. Many people arrive saying they “cannot draw,” and soon discover that art therapy frees them from pressure.
It is a clinical process grounded in emotional well-being and personal growth.
Why Might Someone Choose a Personal Art Therapy Process?
People turn to art therapy for many reasons, but creating an image often feels safer and more natural than explaining everything out loud. Some emotions are blurry, and sometimes a person simply does not have the words yet. Someone might feel
drawn to art therapy when:
● speaking feels too intense
● they want a more creative way to explore themselves
● trauma feels too heavy to approach directly
● they feel “stuck” and need a new way of seeing things
What makes art therapy unique is the non-judgmental space where a person can express themselves at their own pace. The artwork becomes part of the dialogue.
The therapist does not impose meaning; they accompany the person gently, noticing, listening, and supporting the unfolding process.
How Can Art Therapy Support Personal Development and Growth?
Art therapy can support emotional and psychological growth. When someone creates an image, what was inside becomes visible and more manageable.
Emotional Regulation
The sensory qualities of art help soothe an overwhelmed nervous system.
Meaning-Making
Art naturally creates metaphors that help people make sense of complex emotions.
Self-Awareness and Insight
Images often reveal things that talking alone might miss.
Integration
Experiences can be explored and woven into a clearer narrative.
Who Is Art Therapy For?
Art therapy can support people at any age.
● anxiety, depression, stress
● trauma or grief
● emotional or behavioural difficulties
● neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, learning differences)
● family or relationship challenges
● identity questions
● cultural or life transitions
Some come because talking feels too direct; others come because they express themselves better through images or materials. Art therapy offers a space for visual or hands-on communicators.
Art Making Is Therapeutic, but How Is Art Therapy Different?
Many people feel better when they draw, paint, or make things. Creative activities can be calming, and art made for pleasure, at home or elsewhere, is naturally therapeutic. Art therapy, however, is more specific: a clinical, relational, reflective process guided by a trained professional, where the artwork becomes part of the therapeuticconversation.
Therapeutic Art-Making usually:
● supports general well-being
● happens outside a clinical context
● has no specific psychological goal
Art Therapy, on the other hand:
● is a recognised mental health profession
● uses psychological theory, clear boundaries
● focuses on emotional meaning
● takes place within a safe therapeutic relationship
A simple way to describe the difference is this:
As Case & Dalley write, “art therapy is distinguished not by the art, but by the therapeutic relationship in which it is held” (Case & Dalley, 2021).
Why Is the Setting Important in Art Therapy?
The setting in art therapy is not just a backdrop; it actively supports the therapeutic process. A well-held environment creates the safety needed for emotional risk-taking and deeper exploration.
A supportive setting usually includes:
● a calm private space
● clear boundaries
● predictable routines
● Accessible materials
● respectful artwork storage
● a warm therapist
When these elements come together, the room becomes emotionally safe. A thoughtful setting is especially important in trauma-informed practice, where
safety, choice, and empowerment are central. As Malchiodi (2012) notes, “safety is the foundation from which healing becomes possible”.
What Happens in a Typical Art Therapy Session?
Although every art therapist works differently, most sessions follow a gentle,predictable rhythm.
A Warm Check-In
Sessions often begin with a brief check-in.
Time to Create
Then comes the creative time. The person chooses materials based on their needs, and the focus is on expression.
Reflection Together
Once the artwork takes shape, the therapist and client look at it together and explore its meaning.
Closure and Safe Storage
Sessions usually end with a grounding moment, a breath, a pause, or a short
conversation. The artwork is stored safely, holding the person’s story until the next session.
This structure allows expression and exploration to unfold naturally.
This structure allows expression and exploration to unfold naturally.
Art therapy is not about producing something perfect; it focuses on:
● Feelings
● Process
● Meaning rather than aesthetic or performance
Many people arrive convinced they “cannot draw,” but soon discover that art therapy
frees them from that pressure.
How Are Artworks Stored and Used?
In art therapy, the artwork belongs to the client, but it is usually kept by the therapist to ensure:
● Confidentiality
● Emotional safety
● Continuity
● Opportunities for reflection
When therapy ends, the client decides what to do with their artwork. Some take everything; others keep certain pieces. For some, a respectful disposal feels like the
right way to honour the journey.
How Long Does Therapy Last?
The length of art therapy varies from person to person. It depends on what someone is hoping to explore, the pace that feels comfortable.
● Short-term (6–12 sessions): a specific issue or transition
● Medium-term (3–6 months): deeper patterns
● Long-term (6+ months): trauma, identity
Whatever the length, the process is collaborative. Therapist and client check in together to ensure the work continues to feel supportive and safe.
Is Art Therapy Suitable for Children?
Yes, Children communicate naturally through images, movement, symbols, and play. Art therapy gives them space to express emotions.
For many children, creating feels easier than talking. Art therapy can support children with:
● emotional regulation
● attachment needs
● social and developmental growth
● stress, or school-related challenges
● identity
Children do not need artistic skills, only a safe, welcoming space where they can create at their own space.
What Do Different Materials Offer?
Each art material has its own personality. It invites a different way of expressing or
exploring, offering unique doorways into emotion and experience.
Clay:
Grounding and physical. These materials can help calm the body and bring someone back into the present moment.
Charcoal and pastels:
spontaneous and expressive. Their immediacy
allows for gesture, energy, and emotional release.
Watercolours and inks:
Fluid and full of movement. They often
support emotional flow.
Collage:
storytelling through images and fragments.
Acrylics:
bold, strong, and vibrant. They invite intensity and the courage to take creative risks.
Fine liners and pencils:
structured, detailed, and reflective. They
support focus and observation.
Each material “speaks” in its own way. Together, they create a wide landscape of therapeutic possibilities where people can find what feels right for them in that moment.
References List:
-
Case, C., & Dalley, T. (2021). The handbook of art therapy (4th ed.). Routledge.
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Kramer, E. (1971). Art as therapy with children. Schocken.
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Malchiodi, C. A. (2012). Handbook of art therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
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Naumburg, M. (1966). Dynamically oriented art therapy. Grune & Stratton.
-
Rubin, J. A. (2016). Approaches to art therapy: Theory and technique (3rd ed.).Routledge.
-
British Association of Art Therapists. (n.d.). What is art therapy?
-
Schaverien, J. (1999). The Revealing Image: Analytical Art Psychotherapy.
Supportive and caring
My therapy space is warm, safe, and grounded in deep understanding. We communicate together, sometimes through words, sometimes through images and colours. It’s a space for learning, growing, and reflecting side by side. Here, nothing is “too much” or “too overwhelming” to bring into the room. Everything is welcomed with care and without judgment.
A personalised approach
Each person, each story, and each relationship is uniquely their own. As Irvin Yalom
reminds us, therapy should be shaped around the individual in front of us. In art
therapy, your creativity becomes part of the process, helping us craft an approach
that truly fits you.
Professional and confidential
This work rests on respect, compassion, and sincerity. What you share remains
confidential, and I continue to grow through ongoing training and supervision so that
I can offer you the most supportive and ethical care possible.